Ukraine carried out a drone strike on Russia’s Ust-Luga port area on September 1, damaging the Novatek-Ust-Luga energy complex and causing a major fire. The facility, located in Russia’s Leningrad region on the Baltic Sea, is part of one of the country’s main energy export hubs.

Leningrad regional Governor Alexander Drozdenko confirmed damage and a fire in the port area. He said Russian air defenses intercepted dozens of drones during the attack and that emergency crews were deployed. Authorities later reported that the fire had been extinguished and no casualties were recorded at Ust-Luga.

Ukraine’s Defence Intelligence confirmed its forces were involved in the operation, saying key components of an oil-processing unit and other equipment at the Novatek-Ust-Luga complex were damaged. The full extent of the damage and its effect on operations could not immediately be independently verified.

Ust-Luga is a major Russian maritime export center for crude oil and petroleum products, handling about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The latest incident follows previous Ukrainian attacks on the port and comes amid increasing strikes by both sides against energy, transport and other infrastructure linked to the continuing conflict.